Improved wase-boabd



atten tetes detect ffice.

DAVID SMI-TH, OF IIARTFIELD, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 62,895, dated March 12, 1867.

IMPROVED WASH-BOARD.

TO ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, DAVID SMITH, of Hartield, in the county of Chautauqua, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and improved Wash-Board; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure I is a plane view representing my improved wash-board with the pressing-lever thrown back.

Figure 2 is a section of the same, with the lever in position for pressing the clothes.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in both figures.

My invention consists injointing or hinging to the lower end of the wash-board a pressure-board, provided with a handle or lover, b'y which the clothes placed upon the main board are subjected to a squeezing operation between the two. It further consists in the employmentof one or more hand-rubbers, one end of which is mounted on a rod above and parallel with the edge of the wash-board, and which are used for washing small articles and such portions of the garments as require an extra amount of rubbing, by sliding on the rod and up end down the boards in a manner similar to the ordinary method of rubbing'by hand alone.

In the drawings, A represents the main wash-board, which does -not materially differ in construction from those in ordinary use, except that I prefer to make thel corrugations z' rectangular, as shown. This board is placed in the tub B, in the ordinary inclined position, its lower end resting in the angle 'at the bottom. To the lower ond of the board A I joint or hinge, in any suitable way, :in bearings cZ, an upper, auxiliary, and pressure board, C, corrugated in'a manner similar to A, which corrugations lare preferably arranged so as to mesh with those of the board A when brought together, and provided with a lever or handle, e, by which it is operated in the following manner: The attendant with one hand varranges the clothes on the main board A, and, with the other, actuates the lever e, compressing them betweenrthe two boards, as most clearly shown in fig. 2. The' lever, being of convenient length and having its fulcrum at its cxtreme end, near which the `clothes are placed, enables the operator to squeeze the garments with great force, which, combined with the meshing corrugations it', speedily accomplishes the desired result. The board is provided with perforations s s, which permit a free pas sage of the water up through them and among the clothes, while the upper or pressure-board, being without such openings, the adhesion ofthe clothes thereto in raising the lever' is suicient to loosen the clothes from the lower board and cause the required change of position, thereby dispensing in a great measure with the use of the hand in rcadjusting and shaking up the garments. At the upper side of the wash-board, at one or both edges, I secure, in any suitable manner, rounds or rods g, on which are mounted, so as to slide thereon, hand-rubbers f. These rubbers are constructed, as shown, with the surface contiguous to that of the wash-board corrugated. I prefer to provide one on each side of the board, so that either hand can be used alternately, as one becomes tired. These hand-rubbers are designed for washing small articles or those portions of the garments that require an extra amount of rubbing. The article is laid on the wash-board and the hand-rubber placedupon it, and then reciprocated up and down the board, as in rubbing by hand alone. The rubber forming a broader surface, and being flat, presses the article more completely in `Contact with the board beneath, and, consequently, more rapidly and eiectually washes the article. It, at the same time, protects the knuckles from the friction and abrasion which result when the hands are employed without this auxiliary. When thepressure-board and lever are being used these rubbers, which both slide and revolve on the rods g, are turned back against the sides of the tub, out of the Way.

My improvement is cheap and simple in construction, compactrin form, easily operated, not liable to get out of repair, and performs its work eiciently wit-hout that injury to the clothes which attends the use of many machines.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the hinged pressure-board and lever C e, hand-rubber or rubbers f,.and rod or rods g, with the wash-board Aya-rrangod and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in thc presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID SMITH.

Witnesses JAY HYATT, ALBERT I-IAIGHT. 

